**i didn’t have internet connection for the past 2 days because we were at places that are still left behind. i’ll post some blogs as i was writing them the past 2 days. earthquakes, devastation, deer, eagles, rabbits, and anything you can imagine. our days are flying and it’s impossible for me too keep up. sorry.
here i am sitting in the car at 4:15 am. we set up our tents last night, we ate cup noodles for dinner, felt 2 earthquakes, slept at 9:30. the things we see in a day is like living in a emotional roller coaster ride. up, down, up, and down. the stories, the images, the people, and the kids. some happy stories, some sad. some that give you chicken skin, and some that break your heart. so sitting up here on top of the mountain with so much wildlife around is refreshing. seeing lots of deer running around in the evening yesterday made us excited. i guess it’s kind of healing because it takes our mind off other things. today, we have a long day. going to visit more elementary schools and try to put more smiles on the kids faces. then it’s a long drive to minami soma where we will meet the mayor tomorrow morning for an update on the situation over there.
i have hundreds of photos, lots of video, and many stories to tell. yes, things are looking much better here in tohoku, BUT far from over. the world has forgotten about japan but not us.
4 months later, they are still searching for the missing. there is a rice field in ishinomaki where the searchers are still pulling up bodies everyday.
of the 3 elementary schools in the country side, two got completely wiped out. over a hundred of kids died. this school survived because it was up on hill. now the kids attend here and are moving forward. most of their friends gone, but i’m sure their happy just to have each other now. the principal was nice enough to let us give the kids a beach ball and water guns. normally it wouldn’t be possible, but now, i think it’s ok to bend some rules.
